Fluid circulation apparatus



March 7, 1939. U. G. LEE 2,150,101

FLUID CIRCULATION APPARATUS Filed May ll, 1936 v mwa Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID CIRCULATION APPARATUS Application May 11, 1936, Serial No. 79,121

8 Claims.

It is a well known fact among heating engineers that the great drawback in the use of a hot water system is sluggish circulation.

Radiators that are located at a distance from the boiler, or in other unfavorable positions, get less heat than the ones located in the favorable positions. Therefore, the heat must be increased in the whole system to suit the radiators unfavorably located.

The result of this increased heat in the whole system is to lower the efficiency of the whole system and a consequent loss of fuel.

The purpose of my invention is. to draw water from the system, impart energy to it by means of a pump, and then forcefully discharge same in the direction of the desired flow. The kinetic energy of the ydischarge water is thus imparted to the slow moving mass of water in the syste-m, thereby increasing the ilow.

This provides agmeans of increasing the circulation of the whole system, or, in other words, boosting the natural circulation without in any way impairing or impeding the ow of water.

As it is quite a serious matter to drain a heating system in case repairs are needed, I have provided that the pump unit may be removed Without in any way interfering with the operation of the heating system also that repairs may be accomplished in a few minutes by means of replaceable units.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide a device that can be applied to any system already installed without expensive alterations.

Figure 1 is a plan view with the pump mechanism shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a side view.

Fig. 3 is an end View showing the discharge nozzle and annular intake port.

My invention consists of two main parts or castings, one comprising a compact centrifugal pump unit A driven by an electric motor b.

The other consists of a combined discharge nozzle d and annular intake port e incorporated into a single fitting B for convenience and simplicity in making the installation. The end of this fitting is provided with a pipe thread to screw into a pipe T or other fitting, as indicated.

The annular intake port e is connected by passageway to the intake g of centrifugal pump A and the discharge nozzle d is connected by the other passageway h to the annular discharge chamber z' of the centrifugal pump.

A valve or cock y' is interposed to shut off both passageways simultaneously. A side outlet lc connecting with passageway h may be provided for diverting part of the ow of the pump to other (Cl. 10S- 103) Til risers in the heating system where simple discharge nozzles may be used for accelerating the ilow in like manner to nozzle d.

The centrifugal pump is of large capacity to provide sufficient volume for more than one nozzle.

The discharge outlet m` of this pump is annular and connects to annular discharge chamber i which encircles the intake a of the pump;

It will be observed that the centrifugal pump unit A is provided with a flange n and bolts to flange o which is a part of the nozzle fitting B.

It will also be observed that the valve y' interposed in tting B is not really essential to the operation, but is a necessity and convenience and adds to the value and adaptability of the device in that it enables removal of the pump unit without interfering with the `operation of the heating system.

A retainer cap P holds cock y in place.

I claim:

l. A unit of the lclass described for insertion between a pump unit and the piping of a system, said unit having spaced apart annular chambers with an annular inlet port and an outlet port for each of said annular chambers, a passageway communicating with the outlet port of one of said annular chambers and having a discharge port disposed substantially centrally of the other of said annular chambers, and a second passageway communicating with the outlet port of the other of said annular chambers and having a discharge port disposed substantially centrally of the first mentioned annular chamber.

2. A unit of the class described for insertion between a pump unit and the piping o-f a system,

said unit having spaced apart annular chambers with an inlet port and an outlet port for each of said annular chambers, a passageway communicating with the outlet port of one of said annular chambers and having a discharge port disposed substantially centrally of the other of said annular chambers, and a second passageway communicating with the outlet port of the other of said annular chambers and having a discharge port disposed substantially centrally of the rst mentioned annular chamber.

3. A device according to claim 2 in whichone of said ports for each of said annular chambers is annular.

4. A device according to claim 2 in which one of said passageways conveys fluid to the pump unit and the other of said passageways conveys iiuid from the pump unit, and a valve in said unit extending across the said passageways to simultaneousiy open the same for now 0f fluid both to and from the pump unit, or to close them.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a rotary pump u nit having an axial intake and a peripheral discharge, and a second unit in alignment with and detachably secured to said pump unit between said pump unit and piping of the system, said second unit having an'annular intake chamber, a passageway connecting the annular intake chamber with the axial intake of the rotary pump, an annular discharge chamber receiving the peripheral discharge from said pump, a discharge nozzle disposed centrally of said annular intake chamber and Va passageway connecting said annular discharge chamber with said central discharge nozzle. Y

6. In combination, a unit comprising a rotary pump and motor for operating the same in longitudinal alignment therewith and removably connected in longitudinal alignment with a second unit, said second unit being located between said iirst mentioned unit and piping of the system, said second unit having an annular chamber at each of its ends, a central opening at each of its ends, and a pair of passageways each communieating with one of said annular chambers and extending to the central opening atA the opposite end of said unit, said annular chambers each having an outer annular port, the said rotary pump having an inlet and an outlet communi eating respectively with the central opening and annular port at one end of said second unit.

7. A unit of the class described for insertion between a pump unit and the piping of a system, said unit having an annular chamber at each of its ends, an annular opening to said chambers at each end of the unit, a central opening at each of its ends, and a pair of passageways each communicating with -one of said annular chambers and extending to the central opening at the opposite end of said unit.

8. A device according to claim 2 in which one of said passageways conveys fiuid to the pump unit and the other of said passageways conveys fluid from the pump unit, and shut oil. means to control the flow of fluid to and from the pump unit. Y

ULYSSES G.'LEE. 

